REMEMBER when the Super Bowl was just a handy pre-footy snack we'd cast half an eye over as we salivated about the start of the AFL and NRL seasons?

Not anymore.

Failing to bring at least a cursory knowledge of the biggest day in American sport to the office water cooler this Monday will be tantamount to stepping on something unpleasant at your local park - no one will want to know you and you'll spend the next three hours trying to clean up your mess.

Join us for live coverage of the Super Bowl and win prizes including a jersey and cap of the team of your choice and season-long NFL.com Game Pass subscriptions.

So, best to come armed and ready for your annual dose of American insanity. Here's everything you'll need to know about this year's game.

This year the Super Bowl XLVII travels to New Orleans, which will host the game for the tenth time.

WHEN IS IT?

Kick off is at 10.30am AEDT, with coverage starting on ESPN 30 minutes beforehand. You can also catch it on ONE HD.

WHO'S PLAYING

The Baltimore Ravens (in purple) finished with 10 wins and six losses in the regular season, but took down the Denver Broncos and the New England Patriots (both with quarterbacks widely considered to be in the NFL's best three) en route to only their second ever Super Bowl appearance.

San Francisco's 49ers (in maroon) have a storied Super Bowl history, having reached the big show on five previous occasions and winning all of them. Their playoffs journey this time around included wins over the highly-fancied Green Bay Packers and the league's best team this season, the Atlanta Falcons.

THE QUARTERBACKS

Here's where you're almost certain to find the game's MVP.

Thankfully, the game is almost guaranteed be highlight-rich, with throwing ability pitted against leg speed in a classic match-up that should see plenty of points scored.

Baltimore's Joe Flacco has the gun arm (just ask him), and has already backed himself to throw the Ravens to victory, while San Francisco QB Colin Kaepernick has speed to burn, having already broken the record for the most rushing yards by a quarterback in a playoff game (181) just a few weeks ago.

HANG ON, ISN'T THAT THE SAME COACH ON BOTH SIDES?

No, but they ARE brothers.

Jim and John Harbaugh have walked remarkably different paths to arrive in New Orleans.

Jim (the younger one at 49) was a quarterback in the NFL for 14 years before taking up coaching and eventually arriving at San Francisco

John, 50, has been a career coach since 1984, finally reaching the sport's top level when Baltimore took him on in 2008.

WHY DOES THAT BLOKE LOOK LIKE SOMEONE JUST STOLE HIS CAR?

That's Alex Smith.

A few months ago he was San Francisco's starting quarterback, and had led them to a 6-2 start to the season.

Then he was concussed in a 24-24 draw against St Louis, and was replaced by Kaepernick, who performed so well in Smith's absence that he held his spot once the former starting QB was ready to return a couple of weeks later.

Now Smith will watch from the sidelines and act as Kaepernick's back-up, should something befall the 49ers' new favourite son.

Baltimore's Ray Lewis celebrates after his side won its way through to the Super Bowl. Picture: Getty ImagesSource: Getty Images

WHO'S THE DUDE WITH HIS OWN THEME SONG?

That'd be Ray Lewis.

If you haven't heard about him already, you'll hear plenty throughout the game.

Lewis was charged with murder in 2000 over the stabbing deaths of two young men at a Super Bowl party, but those charges were later dropped and he pleaded guilty to obstruction of justice.

He now rams religious messages into the ears of anyone who'll listen, and enters the stadium to his own music - and an accompanying dance - at all Ravens home games.

TIP US A WINNER

The experts are predicting a high scoring affair, and with two quarterbacks who are prepared to take chances, the result will come down to the team that can limit crucial mistakes.

That gives Kaepernick and San Fran the edge, given he's thrown just three interceptions and fumbled the ball twice since taking over from Smith.

Flacco's game is more high risk, having dished up 10 intercepts and nine fumbles in the regular season, but the guy has been a playoff monster. He's yet to throw a single intercept in the post-season and has fumbled just once.

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